Baseboard diffuser



NOV- 17, 1959 I J. R. CARROLL 2,912,917

BASEBOARD DIFFUSER Filed April 25, .1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g1 .f QQ

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BAsEBoARn -DIFFUSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1956 y fnvenlr.' cgynzomd Carroll D ME a nited States Patent 2,912,917 BAsEBoARD DIrrUsER Application April 25, 1956, Serial No, 580,617

Claims. (Cl.'98108) YThis invention relates to apparatus adapted to effect efficient dispersal and distribution of both warm and cold air, and more particularly relates to a baseboard diffuser of improved construction and arrangement to achieve highly efficient distribution of both heated air in the winter and cooled air in the summer.

Baseboard diffuser mechanisms of the past which were designed to disperse heated air only were so constructed that this heated air was dispersed in a generally fan shaped .pattern across the face of an outside wall to blanket a large portion of the outside wall with warm air and thereby counteract Athe radiation and'downdraft effects that normally otherwise would exist. This heating requirement is, however, basically incompatible with the required distribution pattern for cool air during the summer season. To distribute this cool air properly it must be given a high center mass velocity so that the cool air can be projected to the higher levels of the rooml inorder that good diffusion will result and to preclude the cool air falling into the occupied zone of the room so as to create drafts. This incompatibility in requirements is inherent inasmuch as air diffusion along the face of the adjacent. wallthe heating requirementof necessity results in a reduction' of the vertical velocity v at the center of the registera cooling requirement.

It is therefore one object of the present invention kto provide a new and improved baseboard type diffuser which etliciently effects the distribution of both heated and cooled air, and which furthermore is both relatively inexpensive and esthetically pleasing.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of an improved baseboard diffuser which accomplishes the object set out above withwa minimum of pressure loss. l I

Another object is the provision of an improved device in accordance with the preceding objects in which there is a base member adapted for installation against a wall, and a face member removably supported by the base member, the face member being spaced from the base member to provide a generally4 U-shaped opening extending vertically along both sides and laterally across the top of the structure through which air may pass, the face member having forwardly facing openings for the passage of air therethrough.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the specification and appended drawings illustrating certain preferred embodiments in which: j

Figure 1 is a front view of a device of the present invention illustrated in its installed position;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the plane of line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional View along the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2, in which the face member has been removed to illustrate the internal construction;

Figure 4 is an .enlarged sectional view along the plane of line 4-4 of Figure l.

The device of the present invention comprises a 'base 2,912,917 Patented Nov. 17, 1959 c ICC member 1 adaptedto be mounted by suitable fasteningv means against the lower surface of a wall 2, as shown in Figure 2. The base member 1 comprises a top panel. 3 perpendicular and in engagement with the wall 2, and a pair of vertical side panels 4 and 5 extending from thetop panel 3 to the uppermost surface of the oor 6 the ends of the side panels engaging the wall 2 throughout their length. Extending inwardly and rearwardly from each of the side Walls 4 and 5 there is an internal side wall, indicated respectively by the numerals 7 and 8. Each of the walls 7 and 8 terminates at its upper end in an angularly extending edge complementary with a wall 9 which, as best illustrated in Figure 2, extends rearwardly to the wall 2 and then vertically along the wall as indicated within that figure. Extending forwardly from the rear, bottom surface of the wall 9 are a pair of spaced legs 11, each of which is provided with a return bent portion 12 for a purpose to be subsequently described. As best illustrated in Figure l, the spacing between the arms 11 is sufficient to accommodate the reception of the upper end portion of a boot 13 which projects inwardly into the structure and serves to convey heated or cooled air from a suitable source (notshown) to the device.

Attached to the vertically extending portion of the wall 9 is a damper mechanism, indicated in general by the numeral 14, which comprises a mounting plate 15 having a downwardly projecting return bent portion 16, as illustrated in Figure 2. Received Within the return bent portion 16 is a hinge rod 17 supported therein, the rod 17 in turn supporting a damper 18 which extends into the boot 13. The extremity of damper 18, indicated by the numeral 19, is offset so that the tip thereof engages the side of the boot 13, as -seen in Figure 2, when the damper is in its open condition so that the passage of air through the boot 13 and into the device of the present` invention is substantially unimpeded by the damper 18. Pivotally mounted'upon the mounting plate 15 at 20 is an operating lever 21 providedwith a manually engageable, flat portion 22 at its extremity. The innermost end of lever 21 is pivotally connected at 23 (Figure 3) to one end of an operating link 24, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to an arm 25, integral with the damper 18. It will be readily apparent that depression of the portion 22 of lever 21 from its position illustrated in Figure 2 will result in movement of the damper 18 from its full line position in that ligure to the dotted line position therein to close off the boot 13. It is furthermore obvious that any intermediate position of the damper 18 between its full open and full close conditions may be maintained.

The inclined portion of the Wall 9 (Figure 2) is provided with two spaced slots 26, each of whichis adapted to receive the innermost end of a generally L-shaped arm 27 projecting rearwardly from the rear face of a face member, illustrated in general by the numeral 28. The member 28 comprises, along its upper portion,an inwardly directed surface 29 extending from the top` 31 of the member 28 to a position rearwardly thereof as best illustrated in Figure 2. Member 28 further comprises side walls 32'and 33 respectively extending from sides 34 and 35 of member 28 rearwardly and inwardly and fusing at their innermost ends with'an inclined surface of member 28 indicated in general by the numeral 36. Surface 36 at its upper end fuses with the surface 29, as illustrated in Figure 2, and extends forwardly and outwardly from that point so that the lowermost end thereof is in engagement With the upper surface of the floor 6 at a tion disposed in engagement with one of the return bent portions 12 of the arms 11. It will be obvious that the front face 28 is assembled tothe base member 1 by inserting the arms 27 into .therecesses 26 and pivoting the face `member 2S until the arms 37 respectively overlap the arms il., whereupon the face member 28 will be frictionally-but removably-held in position as illustrated in Figure 1.

lt should be noticed that when the face member 28 is so positioned on the base member 1, there is generally a U-shaped slot provided between the face member and the base member which comprises a vertically extending slot 3S between the end 34 of the face member 28 and surface 7 of the base member; a vertically extending slot 39 between the side 3S of the face member 28 and the surface 8 of the base member 1; and a longitudinally extending slot 4l defined by the upper surface 31 of the face member 28 and the diagonally disposed surface of the wall 9. lt should, in addition, be noted that the front face 36 of the face member 28 is divided into two longitudinally spaced sections by a center uninterrupted por'- tion ft2. Each or" these sections is provided with aplurality of elongated openings 43 which extend from the center portion 42 to the side wall 32 or the side wall 33. Slots 43 are fonnedby shearing louvers 43' out of front face 36, the louvers being integral with face member 28 and so inclined that air flowing upwardly from boot 13 will be directed generally upwardly as it passes from the structure. The slots 43 are so designed as to provide a total free area which is low enough in relation to the total area of the top and end slots 38, 39 and 41 so as to force the air to ow through these top and end slots; this free larea of the face provided by the openings 43 is, however, not so low as to cause a high velocity through these slots and therefore is not so low as to cause a high pressure loss through the device.` The primary control of air direction and pattern is achieved with the aforementioned top and end slots 38, 39 and 41, andthe dimension of these slots is critical with relation to the length of the diluser and the air quantity handled. The control of pressure loss through the unit is, however, primarily accomplished by providing the desired free area of the face of the diffuser to have the characteristics previously described.

In a device having an overall dimension of 24 inches between the side walls 4 and 5 of the base unit 1, the

total free area provided by the slots 3B, 39 and 41 may,

manufactured of sheet metal, so that the expense of the device is minimized.

While a certain preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto, as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given lits .broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A basebpa-rd diffuser comprising a generally rectangular base" rnemben said base'member" including a top panel, opposite side panelsQinwardly' and rearwardly extending interior side .-walls, and a back wall extending rearwardly and downwardly from thefront edge of the top panel to the planewo'f the rear edge `of the said top panel and thence downwardly in said plane, a generally rectangular face member, means removably supporting said face member `in `spaced relation to the front edge of said top panel and said interior walls so as to form top and end slots defined yby said base and face member, said means comprising a plurality of legs extending outwardly from the bottom edge of said back wall, a plurality of registering complementary arms extending inwardly from Athe bottom `edge of said face member or frictionally engaging said legs, a plurality of arms extending'rearwardly from the upper portion of said face member and slot deiining means in said base member adapted to receive said last-named arms y for removably mounting said face .memben and louver means insaid face member constructed andl arranged to effect air flow therethrough upwardly and outwardly. i

2. A baseboard diffuser comprising a generally rectangular sheetpmetal base member,- said lbase member .having atop panel, side panels perpendicular to said top panel, interior side walls extending angularly inwardly from the front'edge of each of said side panels, a back wall extending angularly downwardly from the front edgeof said top panel and thence downwardly perpen- `dicularly to said top panel, a generally rectangular face for example, be of an order of 6.4 square inches; the

total free area of the slots 43 in such case may be of the order of 27.5 to 13.5 square inches with the preferred free area being 17.3 square inches. With such a construction the pressure loss through the diffuser and boot is minimized, and there is furthermore no more noticeable noise as the air passes through the diffuser. In addition the primary air screen is very thin and close to the wall, and the center mass air velocity is suchthat cool air is projected to the high levels of the room in which the diffuser is disposed and eiiects its desired cooling function without creating any drafts.

The front face of the device may be removed at will to adjust the damper mechanism should that be necessary. Furthermore the damper itself may be operated by inserting the finger into the slot 39 into engagementwith the manual operable portion 22 of the operating lever 21. As best illustrated in Figure 1, it should be noticed that the operating lever 21 is not visible from the front of the device whereupon the appearance of the structure is improved and the danger of having levers projecting into the room is eliminated.

It will therefore be seen that the device of the present invention is one which effects eicient and desirable distribution'of both warm and cool air. It is economical and attractive, and can be readily installed. The base member, the damper and .the face4 member` canallbe membermounted in spaced relation to the front edge of said top panel and the front edges of said side panels to provide a continuous Vand generally U-shap'ed slot extending across the top and down the end portions of the -diffuserLmeans removably supporting said face member,

said `means comprising a plurality of arms extending from the inner surface of said face member, slot defining means in the angularly downwardly extending portion Vof said back wall of said base member adapted to receive certain of said arms, and forwardly extending projections on said face member adapted frictionally to engage other of said face member arms. 3.,A baseboard diffuser comprising a generally rectangular sheet metal base member, said base Vmember having atop panel, side panelsy perpendicular to said top panel, interior side walls extendingangularly inwardly from the front edge of each'of said side panels, a back wall extending `angularly downwardly from the front Vedge of said; top panel and thence in perpendicular relation to said top panel, a generally rectangular sheet metal face member, said pbase' yand yface.merr'ibers being'onstructed and arranged to receive an air vdelivery member therebetween, ay damper mechanism `supported vby said base memberincluding a damper adapted to adjustably `inhibit ail-,fiowthrough said air delivery member and a ber arms; said generally U-shaped slot having a total free area of approximately 6.4 square inches, and opening dening means in said face member having a total free area of approximately 17.3 square inches constructed and arranged to effect flow of the -air delivered to the diffuser by said air delivery member in an upwardly direction away from the exterior of said face member.

4. A baseboard diffuser comprising a generally rectangular sheet metal base member, said base member having a top panel, side panels perpendicular to said top panel, interior side walls extending angularly inwardly from the front edge of each of said side panels, a back wall extending angularly downwardly from the front edge of said top panel and lthence perpendicularly to said top panel, a generally rectangular sheet metal face member, said base and face members being constructed and arranged to receive an air delivery member therebetween, means removably supporting said face member in spaced relation to said top panel and said side panels forwardly of said base member to provide a continuous and generally U-shaped slot therebetween; said last mentioned means comprising a plurality of rearwardly extending arms integral with said face member, slot defining means in the angularly downwardly portion of said back wall adapted to receive certain of said arms, and forwardly extending projections of said base member adapted frictionally to engage other of said face member arms; and opening defining means in said face member constructed and arranged to effect flow of air delivered to the interior of the diffuser in an upwardly and outwardly direction away from the exterior of said face member, said opening defining means in said face member being constructed and arranged to have a total free area of from 4.3 to 2.1 times the total free area of said U-shaped slot.

5. A baseboard diffuser comprising a generally rectangular sheet metal base member, said base member having a top panel, side panels perpendicular to said top panel, interior side walls extending anguiarly inwardly from the front edge of each of said side panels, a back wall extending angularly downwardly from the front edge of said top panel and thence downwardly perpendicularly to said top panel, a generally rectangular sheet metal face member, said base and face members being constructed and arranged to receive an air delivery member therebetween, means removably supporting said face member in spaced relation to said top panel and said side panels forwardly of said base member to provide a continuous and generally U-shaped slot therebetween; said last mentioned means comprising a plurality of rearwardly extending arms integral with said face member, slot dening means in the downwardly extending portion of said back wall adapted to receive certain of said arms, and forwardly extending projections on said base member adapted frictionally to engage other of said face member arms; and opening defining means in said face member constructed and arranged to effect flow of air delivered to the interior of the diffuser in an upwardly and outwardly direction from the exterior of said face member, said opening defining means in said face member being constructed and arranged to have a total free area of approximately 2.7 times the total free area of said U-shaped slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,809,223 Tashjian June 9, 1931 2,593,133 Geary Apr. 15, 1952 2,705,912 Dovolis Apr. 12, 1955 2,708,869 Grossenbacher et al May 24, 1955 2,724,321 Kagan Nov. 22, 1955 2,741,970 Howell Apr. 17, 1956 2,745,332 Cotts May 15, 1956 2,750,866 Romg June 19, 1956 2,766,676 Babcock Oct. 16, 1956 2,791,958 Schjerning May 14, 1957 

